Luxury Cruise Ship Oceania Sonata Arrives in Zadar in 2027
The new Oceania Cruises vessel will place Zadar among the first 90 global destinations, confirming the city's status as a benchmark Adriatic port for luxury cruising.
The new Oceania Cruises vessel will place Zadar among the first 90 global destinations, confirming the city's status as a benchmark Adriatic port for luxury cruising.
Zadar will host the brand-new luxury cruise ship Oceania Sonata, the first vessel in the new class from Oceania Cruises, as early as its inaugural sailing season. The ship is scheduled to set sail in August 2027, and according to the official itinerary, it will arrive in Zadar on August 20, 2027, placing the city on the inaugural season that includes 22 voyages and over 90 destinations.
Confirmation of this significant arrival was given to eZadar by Rebeka Pevec, General Director of Zadar Cruise Port. "The cruise industry operates on a two-year advance planning basis, so we already have information and arrival schedules for 2027, 2028, and partially for 2029. Therefore, yes, the arrivals of the Oceania Sonata are already on the Zadar Cruise Port schedule, specifically for August 20 and November 2, 2027," Pevec stated.
The ship, with a planned capacity of 1,390 passengers, will embark on its first public voyage on August 7, 2027, from Rome, specifically the port of Civitavecchia, heading to Trieste. Zadar will be visited as part of this inaugural 14-day cruise. "The first public cruise departs on August 7 from Rome/Civitavecchia to Trieste, and the ship is expected to be in Zadar on August 20, so Zadar is included in the inaugural 14-day cruise. However, this is not the first time, as Zadar has hosted numerous ships on inaugural cruises over the years," Pevec added for eZadar.
The Oceania Sonata will dock at the Gaženica Passenger Port. In addition to the August date, the ship will return to Zadar on November 2, 2027, from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This autumn date confirms the trend of extending the cruise season well into the fall, which, according to the director, is common practice. "This is actually typical because every year our season ends in the second half of November, or even early December. This year, the last arrival, according to current information, will be on November 19."
While the Oceania Sonata will dock at Gaženica in November, during the winter months, smaller and more luxurious ships dock in the heart of the city, at the Zadar City Port. For November 2027, a total of eight arrivals are planned at Gaženica, while no arrivals are scheduled for January and February 2027 at that port. In parallel, Windstar Cruises is already selling voyages for late January and early February 2027 aboard the Star Explorer, which include Zadar.
"A year-round cruise season primarily depends on the number of cruise ships sailing the Mediterranean during the winter months, how many of them sail the Adriatic, and how many choose to call at Zadar compared to other competing ports in Croatia, Italy, and Montenegro," Pevec explained, emphasizing that the cruise industry has been extending the tourist season for the entire destination for years.
Although Zadar is recording an increasing number of arrivals, ambitions are also focused on achieving the status of a turnaround port, i.e., a port for passenger embarkation and disembarkation. Pevec reveals that she personally speaks with the leadership of almost all cruise companies at least three times a year about positioning Zadar. "Regarding future homeporting or passenger embarkation in Zadar, I personally speak with the relevant leadership of almost all cruise companies at least three times a year about Zadar's position, news related to destination development, new experiences, new air routes, and any new hotels," she said.
However, the key obstacle for larger companies remains the lack of high-category hotel accommodation. "The topic of turnaround/homeporting is much more complex than the public perceives, and one of the items that cruise companies most often mention is the lack of high-quality hotel accommodation, such as a Hyatt Regency. As for the terminal operation itself, it is ready, and we can carry out a turnaround/homeport operation at any time, which we have proven several times a year," Pevec concluded.
